FIBRES FOR PAPER. 60$ 



flax. I submitted a small quantity of these fibres to 

 Messrs. Pye, Brothers, of London, who have invented 

 a superior mode for the preparation of such tissues for the 

 manufacturer. They most politely undertook the 

 examination, and have given a favourable opinion of the 

 Eudze, as may be seen in the note below.* 



I was unable to procure either the flowers or fruit, 

 but, as it is not recognised at sight by that accom- 

 plished botanist and eminent traveller, Dr. J. D. Hooker, 

 it may safely be concluded that it is quite unknown 

 to botanists. It is stated by the Portuguese to grow in 

 large quantities in the Maravi country north of the 

 Zambesi, but it is not cultivated, and the only known 

 use it has been put to, is in making threads on which 

 the natives string their beads. Elsewhere the split 

 tendons of animals are employed for this purpose. This 

 seems to be of ecmal strength, for a firm thread of it 

 feels like catgut in the hand, and would rather cut the 

 fingers than break. 



* 80, Lombard Street, 20th March, 1857. 



Dear Sir, — We have now the pleasure to return you the specimens 

 of fibrous plants from the Zambesi river, on which you were desirous 

 to see the effects of our treatment ; we therefore enclose you, 



No. I. Buaze, in the state received from you. 

 I A. Do. as prepared by us. 



1 B. The tow which has come from it in hackling. 



No. 2. Conge, as received from you. 



2 A. Do. as prepared by us. 



With regard to both these fibres, we must state that the very 

 minute quantity of each specimen has prevented our subjecting them to 

 anything like the full treatment of our process, and we can therefore 

 only give you an approximate idea of their value. 



The Buaze evidently possesses a very strong and fine fibre, assimi- 

 lating to flax in its character, but we believe, when treated in quantity 

 by our process, it would show both a stronger and finer fibre than 

 flax ; but being unable to apply the rolling or pressing processes with 

 any efficiency to so very small a quantity, the gums are not yet so 

 perfectly extracted as they would be, nor the fibre opened out to so 

 fine a quality as it would then exhibit. 



This is even yet more the case with the Conge, which, being 

 naturally a harsh fibre, full of gums, wants exactly that powerful treat- 

 ment which our process is calculated to give it, but which cannot be 



